As society evolves into an aging society, there are an increasing number of patients suffering from aging-associated diseases. A representative example of the aging-associated diseases is hearing loss caused by degradation of hearing ability. Most of the patients with hearing loss can solve many problems caused by the loss of hearing with a hearing aid.
The hearing aid is used by patients with aging-associated hearing loss but also by patients whose hearing is imperfect by nature, accidents trauma or various diseases. The hearing aid operates by amplifying sound to suit the auditory characteristics of the patients, who are diagnosed with hearing loss through a hearing test by a professional organization such as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic, while being worn on an ear of the patients.
The hearing aid consists of a microphone for collecting sounds, an amplifier for amplifying the collected sounds, a speaker or a receiver for outputting the amplified sounds, and the like. In particular, besides the elements of the existing hearing aid, a digital hearing aid may further include a CODEC or a D/A and A/D converter for conversion between a digital signal and an analog signal, a controller (or a processor) for controlling amplification or conversion of a digital signal through various algorithms, an interface that can be connected with an external computer, and the like.
Meanwhile, a suitable form of a hearing aid may vary depending on the type of hearing loss to be remedied. For example, people having difficulty in hearing sounds across the whole band or in the low frequency band generally use an in-the-ear hearing aid. The in-the-ear hearing aid is inserted into the external auditory meatus of the ear. However, each patient is unique, and typically suffers from an inability to hear a specific frequency band of sound. Of course, some patients may have difficulty in hearing sounds over the entire audio frequency band, and yet, even in these cases, there is typically a frequency band in which sounds are relatively more indistinct.
Accordingly, the patients with hearing loss visit a professional organization such as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic to have their hearing tested by a doctor or a special audiologist (or auditory therapist). In the hearing test, the doctor or the special audiologist measures an auditory state of a patient including a magnitude of the least audible sound, a magnitude of the most comfortable sound to listen to, a magnitude of an unpleasant sound, and the like, and then determines a range or a degree with which to amplify a sound based on the measurement results, thus identifying an overall auditory state of the patient. Further, the doctor or special audiologist may identify a degree that the patients can recognize a bit of speech by carrying out speech audiometry. Thereafter, the characteristics of a suitable hearing aid can be determined from this information.
The patients cannot use the hearing aids comfortably until the characteristics of the hearing aids (e.g., such as an amplification factor) are adjusted such that the patients can accurately hear sounds. Although the hearing aids generally have a lifespan of three to five years, the characteristics of the hearing aids (e.g., such as the amplification factor) may benefit from adjustment for various reasons, or the hearing aids themselves may have to be replaced.
For example, aging-associated hearing loss can worsen with advancing years, and in this case, the characteristics of the hearing aids may not be appropriate as more time passes. Therefore the hearing aids may become ineffective, causing inconvenience for patients with hearing loss.
In some cases, the characteristics of the hearing aids such as the amplification factor may have changed due to a malfunction within the hearing aids themselves. For example, improper maintenance of the hearing aid, microphone or receiver may cause break downs and cessation of functions. Furthermore, software errors may lead to abnormalities in the hearing aid algorithm.
Patients who utilize the hearing aids may not be able to readily identify whether their hearing abilities have worsened, or whether there is a problem with the hearing aid. Identifying which is true may often require the patients to visit a hospital.